Toy theater



(No ModeL) J. W. SHERMAN;

. TOY THEATER.

No. 334,622. Patented Jan. 19, 1886..

I Unite drarns JOHN W. SHERMAN, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

' TOY THEATER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 334,622, dated January19, 1886.

Application filed April 24, 1885. Serial No. 163,251. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN W. SHERMAN, a citizen of the United States anda resident of San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State ofCalifornia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Toys,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved toy theatre; and it belongs moreparticularly to that class by means of which optical illusions may beproduced.

It consists of a small portable case or cabinet, of a size and shape tobe easily handled in a private room and easily transported. The interiorof this cabinet is fitted up to represent a theatrical stage inminiature, having adjustable wings, flies, 850., and the forward side ofthe cabinet is cut away and decorated to represent the proscenium of atheater. The interior of the case is divided transversely by a plate ofglass, as hereinafter described,

for the purpose of producing the optical illusions.

My invention further consists in so con structing the case that itshinged sides may be partly opened out while in use, or closed andsecured in proper shape for transportation or storage.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a front view of my improvedtoy theater; and Fig. 2 is a horizontal plan thereof, the vertical wallsand appliances thereof being shown in section.

A is a case or cabinet of a size to be conveniently handled and set upona table or like support, and of a shape to represent the stage of atheater, and the front, 13, of this case is cutaway and decorated, asshown, to represent the proscenium-arch of a theater. To complete thelikeness, a drop-curtain, D, is provided, and flies E E and otherdesirable drapery and ornaments are placed within the interior of thecase. One of the sides of the case is made double, and the parts F Fthereof are hinged, respectively,to the front and bottom of the case A,so that they may be opened out, as shown in Fig. 1, to form a lateralextension or wing to the stage. Across the central part of the stage isplaced a plate of clear glass, G, secured and supported in a verticalposition, preferably by means of vertical posts 9 g, and this glassplate is set at such an angle across the stage horizontally as that anobject placed in the wing or extension of the stage will be reflectedthereby to an audience in front of the case. The plate G is preferablymade to extend only a portion of the distance across the stage, and isflanked at either side by set scenes or flies H H. A partition, K, ismade to extend from the glass plate G to a point part-way across theextended portion of the stage formed by the hinged side F, and thispartitiouis hinged on avertical line at 7c, so that it may be folded outof the way when the case is closed for transportation.

All the interior surfaces of the case A, its wings F, and both sides ofthe partitions K, are covered with a black lusterless material whichwill not reflect light.

In the operation of my device two lights are required, and they may beeither oillamps or gas-burners supplied through rubber tubes froma'convenientgas-fixture; and these lights are located in the sideextension of the stage, one on either side of the partition K,preferably at the points L Mthe one, L, adapted to illulninatefiguresplaced in the wing, and the other, M, to illuminate figures and sceneryplaced upon the stage and in the rear of the glass plate G.

Care should be taken in placing the lamps that none of the rays of lighttherefrom should fall on either surface of the glass plate, and for thisreason the fly H adjacent to the light L should be made to completelyprotect the said plate from the light.

Should gas be used for the illumination, it will be found convenient toconnect the stopcocks of the two burners, so that as one is turned-offthe other will be turned on, and vice versa; but this is not a necessaryfeature to my invention. I

The operation of my device is as follows: The case or cabinet is placedupon a supporting bench or table in a convenient position so that thespectators may be arranged in front thereof, and the lamps or burners atL M are lighted. If, new, a scene be placed upon the rear portion of thestage behind the glass plate G, and the light M be turned up, the samewill appear to the audience, when the drop curtain is raised, althoughthe glass plate G will remain invisible. If, now,

another scene he set in the wing, say at N,

and the light L be turned up, and at the same time the light M be turneddown, the audience will see a transformation, and the scene set in thewing at N will appear to them to be upon the stage, the glass G stillbeing invisible.

By a proper manipulation of the light and changing of scenes manystartling illusions may be produced.

1 am aware that heretofore a vertical plate of glass has been used inconnection with a theatrical stage to produce illusion-ary effects;also, that theatrical stages have been reproduced in miniature to beused as toys, and I do not broadly claim either.

\Vhat 1 do claim is 1. The combination, with a portable cabinet or casefitted up to represent a theatrical stage, with proscenium arch, flies,curtains, and ornaments, and having a lateral extension or wing, thewalls of which may be folded together for transportation, of a plate oftransparent glass arranged and secured across the interior of the case,so as to reflect the image of objects placed in the lateral extension orwing to an audience in front of the case, the whole to be used inconnection with puppets and miniature scenery, substantially asdescribed.

2. The above-described toy, consisting of a portable case, A, fitted andornamented to represent a theatrical stage, a lateral wing or extensionformed by a hinged double side of the case, reflecting-plate of clearglass G, and a partition, K, to divide the extension or wing, the wholeto be used and operated in connection with light, as described, and withpuppets and miniature scenery, as set forth.

Signed at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State ofCalifornia, this 25th day of February, A. D. 1885. f

JOHN \V. SHERMAN.

\Vitnesses:

DELLA SAGER, JAMEs L. ELY.

